Couple missing after California camping trip

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Mikhail Mitkova-Baklanovsky and his wife Tatyana Putra are waiting for word that their daughter and her boyfriend are ok.

Last weekend, Mariya “Masha” Mitkova and Aaron Morganstein went camping in California near the Imperial Sand Dunes and Joshua Tree National Park. They were due back home on Monday. Her family last heard from Masha on Saturday.

“She told me they were going to a camp ground somewhere in the desert of California where there would be no cell service,” said Mitkova-Baklanovsky. “She said ‘don't worry, there will be no service, but we're going to go back.’”

“Since then, nobody heard from them,” said Putra. “They disappeared.”

Records show Masha's credit card was last used Saturday night at a gas station. The last ping on her cell phone came through Sunday morning.

“I don't know why it happens because they're grown-ups and they're experienced campers,” said Mitkova-Baklanovsky. “They both are very talented, bright personalities.”

Masha, a software engineer, grew up in Southwest Portland. Her parents still live there and are raising money through a GoFundMe page to fund a private air search for the missing couple.

“We want them to use more airplanes and helicopters,” said Putra. “This area is big and we don't know where they are.”